Cattle-guard.



No. 764,514. PATENTED JULY 5, 1904. s. A. & H. w. ARMSTRONG.

UATTLE GUARD.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 1, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

'wimes Man-cl UNITED STATES Patented July 5, 1.904.

PATENT OFFICE.

SOPHIE AMELIA ARMSTRONG AND HARRY VVESTROPP ARMSTRONG, OF

COBOURG, CANADA.

CATTLE-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 764,514, dated July 5, 1904. Application filed Au u t 1, 1903. Serial No. 167,894. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, SOPHIE AMELIA ARM- STRONG and HARRY WESTROPP ARMSTRONG, of the town of Cobourg, in the county of Northumberland, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cattle-Guards, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in cattle-guards; and the objects of our invention are to provide a simple, cheap, and effective guard for the purpose of preventing cattle from straying from off the crossing onto the railroad-track; and it consists, essentially,

I 5 of a series of longitudinal slats, each having a series of holes formed therein, a series of suitably-supported cross-bars passing loosely through the holes in the slats, and spacing means on the cross-bars between the slats,

2o shaped to permit the slats to rock laterally,

substantially as hereinafter more particularly described and then definitely claimed.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of our guard.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the guard.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 4: is a sectional detail showing a modification of the means employed for spacing the longitudinal bars. Fig. 5 is an end View of Fig. 4;. Fig. 6 is a section through the means employed for spacing the longitudinal bars.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

3 5 A A are the rails of the track supported on ties B in the usual manner.

0 represents supplementary ties extending out beyond the length of the ordinary ties B.

Our guard is formed in three sections-a 4 central section D, located between the rails A A, and side sections 1) D, located at the outside of each rail.

E E are the outer bars of the sections, which rest on the ties C and are connected together by the cross frames 6, provided with upwardly-bent ends 0 e, to which the bars E are secured by bolts or rivets 6 F represents rods which pass through the bars E at each end and are secured therein by nuts f.

G represents bars or slats formed of some suitable thin material loosely supported upon the cross-bars F, which pass through holes or slots 9 in the bars.

H represents separating-sleeves secured between each of the bars G by belts or rivets It. These sleeves are formed at their ends with an inward and downward slant. It will be understood that the bars Gr are held loosely between each pair of sleeves H. It will be seen 0 that when an animal steps oil the crossing onto these bars they will give or bend sidewise, thereby giving an uncertain foothold to the animal, which will prevent it continuing the attempt to cross the guard. Intermediate of the ends of each of the bars F and beneath them we drive spikes I intothe ties at an oblique angle to the ties, so as to form a crotch-bearing for the rods, which will keep each section of the guard from sagging in the 7 center. The inner ends of the bars E and (i may be bent obliquely downwardly, as shown in the drawings at D to make the footing for the cattle doubly insecure.

Another purpose served by the downwardlyturned ends of the bars G is that it brings the line of the center of gravity of each bar below its supports, so that the bars maintain a vertical position till stepped on and immediately resume their normal position after an animal lifts its feet. If the downwardlyturned ends are not employed, the holes g in each bar should be placed so that their upper sides are above the line of the center of gravity of the bar. (See Fig. 4.) In this figure 5 instead of sleeves H we show a notched bar H for the purpose of spacing the bars G.

Two or more of these bars H may be substituted for a similar number of bars F and the sleeves I-I dispensed with. 9

It will be seen from this description that we have constructed a very simple cattleguard which will effectually prevent cattle from straying onto the track.

in the slats; and spacing means on the crossbars between the slats; said spacing means being larger at one portion than at another thereby permitting the slats to rock laterally; the holes in the slats being so located that the center of gravity of each bar is below its points of support, substantially as described. Signed at the town of Cobourg, in the Province of Ontario, this 16th day of July, 1903.

SOPHIE AMELIA ARMSTRONG. HARRY WESTROPP ARMSTRONG. WVitnesses:

W. F. KERR, LILLIAN FLEMING. 

